Gov. Christie: Assembly Dems are 'obsessed' with raising taxes

View full sizeAndre Malok/The Star-LedgerGov. Chris Christie writes a note for 11-year-old Peter Schwartz of Point Pleasant at his town hall meeting in Garfield today. The boy asked a question about bullying and then asked the governor for a note excusing him from school. Christie said he asked that the Point Pleasant Beach student be excused "because you were with me."

GARFIELD — Gov. Chris Christie took aim at Assembly Democrats at a town hall meeting this morning, laying out policies he wants passed by July 1 and promising a good show as he tries to get them through the Legislature.

"It's gonna get a little hairy for the next 60 days," Christie said. "It's gonna be entertaining because they know they're wrong, and they know I'm right, and then they get desperate."

Speaking to a receptive audience in Garfield with a countdown that said "Only 60" behind him, Christie reiterated some of the "big things" he laid out in his State of the State speech in January.

He wants to end teacher tenure, cut income taxes by 10 percent, and end sick time payouts passed by July 1, when the Legislature typically recesses for the summer. He also wants to overhaul areas of the criminal justice system to change how bail is determined and provide treatment to nonviolent drug offenders.

"When you're the Legislature, sometimes your goal is ... to talk about about things and not do anything," Christie said.

But his sharpest words were for Assembly Democrats specifically, who Christie accused of being "obsessed" with raising taxes.

Assembly Democrats have put forth an alternative to Christie's 10 percent income tax cut that includes a tax increase on millionaire's, which Christie has vetoed twice and promised to veto again.

"They're proposing another income tax increase," Christie said. "After a while you'd thing they would get tired of banging their head against the wall."

Though he repeatedly referred to Assembly Democrats trying to raise "income taxes," he didn't use the words "millionaire's tax" once.

While Christie's plan would cut income taxes 10 percent for everyone, Assembly Democrats want to give homeowners making up to $250,000 a rebate equal to 20 percent of what they pay in property taxes.

Senate Democrats have also put forth a plan, which would give residents a credit equal to 10 percent of property taxes, and doesn't raise a millionaire's tax. Christie has said he is open to negotiating with the Senate.

"The Assembly Democrats are focused on middle-class and senior citizen property tax relief, job creation and economic fairness for hard-working families," Oliver said in a statement. "The governor is of course welcome to put aside his devotion to tax cuts for millionaires and join us in our effort.”

Christie also said he wants to change areas of the criminal justice system by July 1 by providing mandatory treatment for nonviolent drug offenders.

"We have to give these people a chance to deal with their addiction," Christie said, adding it is actually more expensive for the state to jail nonviolent offenders rather than putting them in rehab.

"Let's save money in the process and let's save lives in the process," Christie said. "To me, every life is precious."

He also wants a constitutional amendment expanding what judges can consider when determining bail to include history of violent offenses.

"Almost everybody regardless of your history gets put out on bail," Christie said. "It undercuts our ability to have an effective judicial system."

Christie had kind words for a young boy from Point Pleasant Beach who asked him what to do if someone in a position of authority at his school was bullying him. Christie said he should tell his parents, and tell that person's boss.

The boy, Peter Schwarz, followed up his question by asking Christie for a note for school, which Christie wrote to applause from the crowd.